14 years ago, I sat in my 8th grade English class with 30 other students watching everything unfold in front of us. The TV’s were showing two towers on flames and people crying. It was a day that will be forever talked about in future 8th grade history classes. I remember sitting in class not really understanding what was going on or what exactly the twin towers were. All I knew was we were under attack and my school wasn’t going to allow us to watch. We had to sit in classes and continue our studies until lunch when we were then allow to go to the library and watch the news. My teacher knew better though. She told us that history was happening and we were going to watch.

Fast forward 5 years to my senior year of high school. My church choir went on a trip to NYC and of course, the 9/11 memorial was one of the places to visit. 4 years later and standing in the subway terminal, looking at all the debris that was still being cleaned. We sang one of our songs in the middle of busy New York people, but it was like time stopped around us.

Fast forward 8 more years when Dallas and I headed up to NYC last November. The one thing Dallas made sure we did was visit ground zero. Is was peaceful and quiet. Freezing, but we took every bit of it in. Only one of the infinity pools was running but is still left an impression on both of us. We went to see the museums on the streets around the trade center and remembered that day that shook America.

So hug your loved ones a little tighter and remember the day we will never forget.